It's Time to Simplify: 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge

Even the good stuff can be overwhelming when there is too much

My years-long obsession with home and decor blogs seems to be waning a bit. Instead, I've been spending more time at blogs that deal with simple living. Blogs like Small Notebook, Simpler Living and Simple Savvy.

Don't get me wrong, I still visit upteen home and decor blogs, but I'm really interested in feeling less like a hamster on a wheel that's moving way too fast. Up until now though, I've just been looking, but min hus has been feeling more and more crowded. Most of the clutter is hidden, but it's impossible to find anything in many drawers and closets around here. But after looking at the 365 days of decluttering challenge, I thought, even I can do that one.

So here's the deal, I want to get rid of at least one thing a day for the next 365 days. I'll probably be doing this on the weekends, rather than daily, but I'm going to keep a list here. I'm not sure how often I'll post about this, it's got to be fairly boring (for all three of my readers), but we'll see.

I was actually so excited I got started last night and filled a couple grocery sacks full of trash, several things went to recycling and I filled one shopping bag with clothes and things to donate. The boy unwittingly participated yesterday too while he was cleaning the garage and got rid of four tires and rims, seven (yes, SEVEN) bucket-size kitty litter containers, an old plastic table. He put it all out on the curb and it was gone within an hour. Even all seven kitty litter containers, I'm still amazed someone wanted those.

The dearly decluttered:

1. Green plastic patio table
2. White shower curtain that shrunk
3. White O-N dress shirt (too big)
4. Black sandals
5. Red, white and blue knit shirt
6. Red pj pants
7. Blue plaid pj pants (week 1, August 23-29)
   
8. white t-shirt
9. white t-shirt
10. Old space heater (only half-works)
11. Old vacuum
12. Green bag
13. black tote bag
14. linen drawstring bag (week 2, August 30-Sept. 5)
15. black purse
16. Brown sweater
17. Pink sweater
18. Cyndi Lauer tape (it's time to let the casettes go)
19. Smashing Pumpkins tape
20. Toad the Wet Sprocket tape
    
21. Girl's diary (week 3, Sept. 6-12)
22. Unopened pine candle
23. Blue tealight holder
24. Small plastic water bottle
25. Dental tape
26. Martha Stewart Living - June 2009
27. Martha Stewart Living - September 2009
28. Green flower plate (week 4, Sept. 13-20 )
29. Kitty foot massager (lame)
30. Cloth napkins (4)
31. Partylite candleholder
32. Plastic tablecloth
33. Red mug
34. yellow mug
35. blue mug (week 5, Sept. 21-27 )
36. green mug
37. glass candy dish
38. pink plastic cup
39. Book: Smart mobs
40. Book: Knowing Knowledge
41. Book: The Three Theban Plays, Sophocles
42. Votive candles (week 6, Sept. 28-Oct. 4 )
43. Strawberry candle
44. Red bead tealight holder
45. Votive candles
46. IKEA mail holder
47. Cinnamon candle
48. Votive candle holder
49. Precious moments plate (week 7, Oct. 5-11 )
50. New black bra
51. New white bra
52. Unmentionables
53. Unmentionables
54. Brown and black purse (donate)
55. Blue cloth napkins (donate)
56. red shirt (week 8, Oct. 12-18 )
57. blue flowered shirt (donate)
58. orange t-shirt (donate)
59. purple clock (donate)
60. Organic garden magazines (10)
61. headband (trash)
62. round brush I never used (trash)
63. lotion (trash) (week 9, Oct. 19-25)
64. tan capris (donate)
65. Navy blue slacks (donate)
66. Merona black velvet dress (donate)
67. Jessica Howard dress (donate)
68. NYC tan linen slacks (donate)
69. Nine west gray slacks (donate)
70. Apt. 9 white capris (donate) (week 9, Oct. 25 - Nov. 1)
71. White short-sleeve sweater (donate)
72. White sweater (donate)
73. Old navy flower shirt (donate)
74. bottle of nail polish (trash)
75. bottle of nail polish (trash)
    
76. Book: Les Miserables (Half-Price Books)
77. Book: Olivia Joules and the Overactive Imagination (Half-Price Books) (week 10, Nov. 2 - Nov. 8)
78. Black ODCE bookbag (donate)
79. Coaster (trash)
80. Spatula (donate)
81. Sunglasses (trash)
82. IKEA 2009 catalog (recycle)
83. Pink Eddie Bauer sweater (gave away)
84. Black Eddie Bauer Sweater (gave away) (week 11, Nov. 9 - Nov. 15)
85. Navy blue Eddie Bauer Sweater (gave away)
86.